F-16 Fighting Falcon

January 20th marked the 50th anniversary of the most widely used 4th-generation fighter, the F-16 Fighting Falcon. On that day in 1974, at the United States Air Force Test Center in Edwards, California, the first prototype YF-16 took to the air, unintentionally, during a high-speed taxi test. The aircraft started rolling during the test, touching the left wingtip-mounted AIM-9 missile simulator and then the right fuselage strake. To prevent an accident, experienced test pilot Phil Oestricher decided to take off and safely landed after 6 minutes. The official maiden flight of the YF-16 took place on February 2 after minor repairs and control system adjustments.

The F-16 was developed by General Dynamics, later sold to Lockheed in 1993 along with a significant portion of its aviation business. Initially designed as a lightweight air superiority fighter, continuous upgrades transformed it into a versatile multirole combat aircraft.

There are 16 basic variants of the aircraft with numerous modifications. For instance, the F-16 Block 50 is equipped with a General Electric F110-GE-129 engine, producing thrust of 13,400 kgf. The fighter has a length of over 15 meters, a wingspan of almost 10 meters, a maximum takeoff weight of 19,200 kg, a top speed of 2,178 km/h, and a ferry range of 3,890 km. It is armed with a 20mm 6-barrel Gatling gun (M61A1 Vulcan) with an ammunition capacity of 511 rounds. With 11 external hardpoints, the aircraft can carry a wide range of weaponry, including AIM-120 AMRAAM medium-range air-to-air missiles, AGM-88 HARM anti-radiation missiles, AGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missiles, and various guided and unguided bombs.

F-16s have actively participated in numerous regional conflicts, such as Israel's use against Arab adversaries since 1981 and Pakistani F-16s downing nine Soviet and Afghan aircraft from 1986 to 1989. American F-16s were involved in major operations, including the famous 1991 "Desert Storm." 

Serial production of the F-16 began in 1976 and has continued to this day, with over 4,600 units built. Apart from the United States, 27 other countries, including Belgium, Denmark, Israel, Indonesia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, South Korea, Poland, Thailand, and Turkey, have acquired aircraft from this family. On January 10, 2024, the first two Block 70 F-16 Fighting Falcons for Slovakia took off from Lockheed Martin's factory airfield in Greenville, South Carolina. Slovakia has ordered a total of 14 of these fighters to replace its MiG-29s.

Ukraine is next in line for the F-16. However, this involves not acquiring new aircraft but receiving them as part of military aid from NATO countries. On August 20, 2023, President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that the Netherlands would provide Ukraine with 42 F-16s. Nevertheless, the arrival date of these aircraft in Ukraine to assist in countering Russian aggression remains unknown.